Ep. XXII.

As we know gold and stones by their look, so too we may distinguish good men from bad in the same way, and do not need a very long trial.  For I should not have needed many words in pleading for my most honourable son Amphilochius with Your Magnanimity.  I should rather have expected some strange and incredible thing to happen than that he would do anything dishonourable, or think of such a thing, in a matter of money; such a universal reputation has he as a gentleman, and as wiser than his years.  But what must he suffer?  Nothing escapes envy, for some word of blame has touched even him, a man who has fallen under accusation of crime through simplicity rather than depravity of disposition.  But do not allow it to be tolerable to you to overlook him in his vexations and trouble.  Not so, I entreat your sacred and great mind, but honour your country11    Sophronius and Amphilochius were natives of Cæsarea. and aid his virtue, and have a respect for me who have attained to glory by and through you; and be everything to this man, adding the will to the power, for I know that there is nothing of equal power with Your Excellency.

[22] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Ἔδει, καθάπερ τὸν χρυσὸν καὶ τοὺς λίθους τῇ ὄψει γνωρίζομεν, οὕτω καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς καὶ μὴ τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτόθεν διαγινώσκεσθαι, καὶ μὴ μακροτέρας δεῖσθαι δοκιμασίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν πολλῶν ἐδέησεν ἡμῖν λόγων ὑπὲρ τοῦ τιμιωτάτου υἱοῦ Ἀμφιλοχίου πρεσβεύουσι πρὸς τὴν σὴν μεγαλόνοιαν. Θᾶττον ἂν ἤλπισα ἕν τι τῶν ἀπίστων καὶ παραδόξων, ἢ τοῦτον ἀγεννές τι πράξειν ἐπὶ χρήμασιν, ἢ διανοήσεσθαι: τοσοῦτον αὐτῷ τὸ παρὰ πάντων συγκεχωρηκὸς ἐπὶ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ καὶ τὸ πρεσβυτέραν τῆς ἡλικίας ἔχειν φρόνησιν. Ἀλλὰ τί χρὴ παθεῖν; Οὐδὲν διαφεύγει τὸν φθόνον, ὁπότε καὶ τούτου τις μῶμος ἥψατο, ἀνδρὸς δι' ἀπλότητα μᾶλλον ἢ τρόπου κακίαν περιπέσοντος ἐγκλήμασιν. Ἀλλά σοι μὴ ἀνεκτὸν φανήτω περιϊδεῖν αὐτὸν ταῖς συκοφαντίαις παρασυρόμενον. Μή, δέομαί σου τῆς ἱερᾶς καὶ μεγάλης ψυχῆς, _ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πατρίδα τίμησον, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ βοήθησον, καὶ ἡμᾶς αἰδέσθητι τοὺς παρὰ σοῦ καὶ διὰ σοῦ δοξασθέντας, καὶ ἀντὶ πάντων γενοῦ τῷ ἀνδρί, τῷ δύνασθαι τὸ θέλειν προσθείς, ἐπειδὴ πάντα τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς οἶδα ἡττώμενα.